In modern wireless networks, users expect and demand a minimum standard of service including a rapid data transfer rate as well as low signal latency or delay. As the number of subscriber devices using a particular network base station increases, the base station or network in general may become saturated with data transfers and a user's quality of experience and quality of service suffers. However, not all network congestion contributes equally to the detriment of the user, and it is beneficial to distinguish between at least two different congestion scenarios in order to optimize a congestion response.
In a first congestion scenario, a network base station or wireless sector may be congested with data transfers initiated by a relatively small number of users. The small number of users may be using all of the airlink resources or channels of a base station but the users may still be receiving optimal service. For example, if a handful of users are requesting data transfers resulting in a congested wireless sector, the user's quality of experience may remain high despite the congestion if they are experiencing a high rate of data transfer.
In a second congestion scenario, a network base station or a wireless sector may be congested with data transfers initiated by a relatively large number of users. In this case, a large number of users are using the airlink resources or channels of the base station and each user's quality of experience may be degraded because of the problems associated with congestion.
Prior art systems for dealing with congestion do not differentiate between the two congestion scenarios, leading to a sub-optimal response to congestion in a network. By failing to distinguish between congestion caused by a relatively small number of users and congestion caused by a relatively larger number of users, the systems and methods fail to tailor any congestion-mitigating responses appropriate to the number of users.
In view of the foregoing, it would be optimal for any systems and methods for identifying and reacting to congestion in a wireless network to distinguish between the two types of congestion and respond accordingly. Additionally, a system or method for managing congestion in a wireless network would need to effectively identify the number of active users associated with a particular base station or wireless sector as well as identify when the base station is experiencing congestion.